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The Business

Director Ruben Östlund on his Swedish satire 'The Square'

Hollywood chased after Swedish writer-director Ruben Östlund following his well-received 2014 film Force Majeure. But Östlund isn't so sure he wants to be caught. He tells KCRW's Matt Holzman about staying in Scandinavia and his new movie The Square, a satirical dramedy that is his second film selected as Sweden's foreign language submission to the Oscars.

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By Kim Masters • Nov 6, 2017 • 28m Listen

Swedish director Ruben Östlund's new movie The Square is a darkly comedic satire that follows Christian, a suave curator at a modern art museum who has trouble living up to his self-proclaimed ideals. It's also his second movie Sweden has selected to submit to the Oscars in the foreign language category. KCRW's Matt Holzman talks to Östlund about watching -- and creating -- viral videos, going from making ski films to social satires, and how he ended up casting Elisabeth Moss in The Square, even though he originally wanted a Scandinavian actress for the part.

Photo: Director Ruben Östlund on the set of The Square. (Magnolia Pictures)

  • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

    Kim Masters

    partner/writer at Puck News, host of KCRW's “The Business.”

  • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

    Kaitlin Parker

    Producer, 'The Business' and 'Hollywood Breakdown'

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